"gareth" wrote in news:lv91j4$gv9$1@dont-
email.me:

how difficult
it is to manufacture our own plugs and sockets, despite that BNC and N have
been around for 70 years, with SMC some time later!


Also, following on from my other post, given how good BNC's are, and how
cheap they are, instead of trying to find alternatives, I try to find ways to
use BNC's for other purposes, not hard given the range of high quality
adapters! This is NOT a wheel we need to reinvent, I think.

Lostgallifreyan wrote in
:

Also, following on from my other post, given how good BNC's are, and how
cheap they are, instead of trying to find alternatives, I try to find
ways to use BNC's for other purposes, not hard given the range of high
quality adapters! This is NOT a wheel we need to reinvent, I think.


Small further bit... Another connector so good given its cost and ability to
do many things is the standard 3-pin XLR, especially the Neutrik ones, for
best ratio of cost and performance. I have no idea what they might be like
for RF, but I use them for audio and DC power. (Small modification: remove
one pin, link it internally with fuse wire, key the empty socket to block
intact audio plugs, that way there's no danger of mixing them. They can take
16A and are physically secure). Point being that several connector types are
so good that applying them in wider contexts is a better solution than
inventing new ones in most cases, not least because the increase in market
will bring the cost per unit down, so we all win.

On Tue, 16 Sep 2014, Lostgallifreyan wrote:

"gareth" wrote in news:lv91j4$gv9$1@dont-
email.me:

how difficult
it is to manufacture our own plugs and sockets, despite that BNC and N have
been around for 70 years, with SMC some time later!


Also, following on from my other post, given how good BNC's are, and how
cheap they are, instead of trying to find alternatives, I try to find
ways to use BNC's for other purposes, not hard given the range of high
quality adapters! This is NOT a wheel we need to reinvent, I think.

Especially when you can find them lying on the sidewalk.

Some years back, I came upon a pile of junk on the sidewalk, waiting for
the garbage truck. I poke around, and find a near endless number of BNC
connectors. I grab some, then continue on my way. Coming back, the rest
were still there so I grabbed all of them. QUite a weight once
accumulated.

There were a few hundred BNC connectors.

The only problem was, they were mostly male, though some female and some
adapters.

Yes, I'd use BNC for audio connectors (something others have done) if I
was going to change connectors (or building something new) and probably
more important, if this pile had included more female connectors.

The bad part is, an even longer time ago, the local surplus place had some
odd bit of plastic with one of those coaxial power connectors, 2 or 3
female BNC connectors and I think a DB-25 connector on it. All for
79cents. I bought some, but obviously if I'd known I'd be finding a near
endless supply of male BNC connectors, I'd have stocked up more in
anticipation.

That's reality, you never find the matching stuff at the same time.

Michael

Michael Black wrote in
news:alpine.LNX.2.02.1409161406070.29263@darkstar. example.org:

Yes, I'd use BNC for audio connectors (something others have done) if I
was going to change connectors (or building something new) and probably
more important, if this pile had included more female connectors.


I've used them for DC power too, sometimes. Given the quality of the pin
surface and material, and a teflon former, this isn't a bad idea, it's likely
to handle surges better, and more safely, than many connectors intended to do
it. You mention a DB25, another favourite for me. So many pins, each can
handle over an amp, some will handle 2A each. For specialised heavy current
situations, (perhaps up to 25 A with the better ones, it can be much cheaper
to do it that way than with dedicated high current connectors, and it's far
more compact too, and the flexibity of the cable is usually better too. (And
tens of yards of that cable got thrown out during various company somputer
refits, more than I ever imagined any use for). When Maplin did a closing
deal on a bunch of metal hoods I bought 40 of them. I doubt I'll ever run out
of those, or have to spend any money on more except on occasional need for
strange angles in tight spaces.

On 17/09/14 06:04, Lostgallifreyan wrote:
Michael Black wrote in
news:alpine.LNX.2.02.1409161406070.29263@darkstar. example.org:

Yes, I'd use BNC for audio connectors (something others have done) if I
was going to change connectors (or building something new) and probably
more important, if this pile had included more female connectors.


I've used them for DC power too, sometimes. Given the quality of the pin
surface and material, and a teflon former, this isn't a bad idea, it's likely
to handle surges better, and more safely, than many connectors intended to do
it.

I've used a BNC once for power, basically in a situation where we didn't
have anything else to hand.

Probably the most inappropriate use of a connector I've seen was a pair
of Belling-Lee connectors for power. With both shell and centre
shorted, one for positive, the other for negative. Not bad for current
carrying capability, but the thought of the two meeting with a bang gave
me the willies.

My TS-120S was supplied with a cable fitted in such a manner. It was
the first "modification" I made: replacing it with 30A Anderson
powerpole connectors.

A single Belling-Lee using centre for positive, shell for negative
*might* be okay, two just using the centres might be okay too, but no
way was I going to have shells with opposing polarities in such proximity.

You mention a DB25, another favourite for me. So many pins, each can
handle over an amp, some will handle 2A each. For specialised heavy current
situations,

Yep, I use them on the bicycle mobile station. Inside a motorcycle top
box I have my FT-857D mounted with a break-out cable that takes DB25 to
a 8P8C connector for the microphone and 6P6C for the head, as well as
two 3.5mm connectors for speaker and CW key.

At the other end I have a similar break-out to plug in my headset, the
head unit and the control buttons.

The DB25-DB25 connectors are linked with 3 runs of CAT5e, giving me 24
usable pins. I did try using an old printer extension cable, but found
I got cross-talk from the head unit comms cable into the microphone.
CAT5 works well though, and isn't difficult to manufacture.

Stuart Longland wrote in news:6meoeb-
:

I did try using an old printer extension cable, but found
I got cross-talk from the head unit comms cable into the microphone.
CAT5 works well though, and isn't difficult to manufacture.


I once found a DB25-type cable with some individually screened pairs, in a
skip. Not got it now, but I remember it being a bit thicker and less flexible
than usual. Maybe hard to find now that it's been so many years since big
firms changed to ethernet and such. There are cables used for video,
'downlink' cables and such sold by Maplin that might do for mixed signals.
Again, probably expensive... When I wanted a 5m run for keyboard, mouse,
video, I just tied three cheap lines togeher, the cost of paying to have it
done by default was horrifying.

Stuart Longland wrote in news:6meoeb-
:

replacing it with 30A Anderson
powerpole connectors.


I nearly went with those for my offgrid PV system, but decided that modifed
3-pin XLR was good enough for me. I rarely use the full 16A capability
anyway.. In the one case where I do at times, I just put two plugs on the
cable.

On 16/09/2014 19:10, Michael Black wrote:

Especially when you can find them lying on the sidewalk.

Some years back, I came upon a pile of junk on the sidewalk, waiting for
the garbage truck. I poke around, and find a near endless number of BNC
connectors. I grab some, then continue on my way. Coming back, the
rest were still there so I grabbed all of them. QUite a weight once
accumulated.

There were a few hundred BNC connectors.

I wonder if this was at the time when networks were moving from coax to
UTP? I still have a wonderful collection of BNC patch leads which were
surplus when my company switched over.

Les.

"Lordgnome" wrote in message
...
On 16/09/2014 19:10, Michael Black wrote:

Especially when you can find them lying on the sidewalk.

Some years back, I came upon a pile of junk on the sidewalk, waiting for
the garbage truck. I poke around, and find a near endless number of BNC
connectors. I grab some, then continue on my way. Coming back, the
rest were still there so I grabbed all of them. QUite a weight once
accumulated.

There were a few hundred BNC connectors.

I wonder if this was at the time when networks were moving from coax to
UTP? I still have a wonderful collection of BNC patch leads which were
surplus when my company switched over.

Including some 50 ohm terminators that are far too small to be any good as a
dummy load?

On Wed, 17 Sep 2014, Lordgnome wrote:

On 16/09/2014 19:10, Michael Black wrote:

Especially when you can find them lying on the sidewalk.

Some years back, I came upon a pile of junk on the sidewalk, waiting for
the garbage truck. I poke around, and find a near endless number of BNC
connectors. I grab some, then continue on my way. Coming back, the
rest were still there so I grabbed all of them. QUite a weight once
accumulated.

There were a few hundred BNC connectors.

I wonder if this was at the time when networks were moving from coax to
UTP? I still have a wonderful collection of BNC patch leads which were
surplus when my company switched over.

This had to be some individual, it was next to an apartment building, and
the connectors were all in a drawer from a bureau. There were some junk
computer boards in a box next to it.

YOu have to be in the right place at the right time, bcause otherwise you
won't see it, and chances are good no one else who can appreciate such
finds will come along while it's there.

Michael